Handle for knives, &amp;c.



P. MEET-ENS AND H. BACKEIRT.

HANDLE FOR KNIVES, &c. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 22, 1919.

1,335,847. Patenfed Apr. 6,1920.

PAUL MERTENS, OF NEWARK, AND HENRY BACKERT, OF IRVING-TON, NEW JERSEY.

HANDLE FOB KNIVES, 8w.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aprfi, 1920.

Application filed January 22, 1919. Serial No. 272,434.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, PAUL MERTENS, a citizen of Germany, and a resident of Newark, and HENRY BAOKERT, a citizen of the 1 of which the following is a specification.

.This invention relates to the construction of handles for knives, envelop openers and such implements in which it is desired to mount upon the opposite sidesof the handle ornamental plates of celluloid, horn, ivory, mother of pearl or the like. We have shown our improvements applied to a clasp knife, for purposes of illustration, but wish it understood that the invention canbe used in any place to which it is adapted.

Ihe objects of the invention are to attach the side pieces or plates by concealed attaching means, so that the plate or side piece presents a smooth continuous exterior not broken or marred by rivets or other fastening means;.to secure a construction which shall be inexpensive and easily produced and manipulated or operated in the manufacture of the implement; to secure great firmness and stability of attachment of the platesfor side pieces, so that they cannot become loose or detached; to enable the metal frame for the side piece or plates to be held by the attachment of the latter, if desired, and to secure other advantages and results as may be brought out in the following description.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals of reference indicate the same parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a side view of a clasp knife having a handle of our improved construction;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the body of the same with the side plates and their frames removed;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section on line 3-3, Fig. 2;

Fig. 41 is a similar section with the frames of the side pieces or plates in place;

Fig. 5 is a similar section with the side pieces or plates attached according to the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a cross-section on line -66, Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of one of the frames for the side pieces or. plates; 1

Fig, 8 is a cross-section ofa modified form of aframe, and b a s Fig. 9 is a similar cross-section of a still further modified frame.

In the specific embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, 1, 1 indicate the opposite sides of a clasp knife body, said sides being held together by rivets 2, 2 and 3, which also serve to pivot the blade 4 and hold in place the spring 5 which closesthe space between said sides at the back of the knife, opposite the closed blade, and also holds the blade in open or closed position as is common.

In carrying out our invention, each side.

plate 1 is provided with a plurality of suitably disposed burs or hollow studs 6 formed by punching through the metal of the side 1 from the inner face thereof so that the burs or studs project outward. These burs or studs furthermore preferably have their side walls split at the outer ends of the bursor studsso as to form prongs, as clearly shown in the drawings, and this may be done by opening or splitting them from the outer face of the side 1 after they have been punched into conical shape. Preferably when completed thewalls of the burs or studs project substantially at right angles to the side 1. i

We then apply to the side 1, provided as described with said burs or studs, an ornamental side piece or plate 7 which may be of mother of pearl, ivory, horn, bone, wood, celluloid or any 'material or composition commonly used for such side. pieces or plates, and such side piece orplate is forced against the side 1 of the knife with suflicient pressure to bring it into intimate con-- tact therewith and cause the burs or studs 6 to embed themselves in the material of the side piece or plate. In the process of such embedding, the prongs of the burs or studs spread outwardly apart and thus clench into the material of which the side pieces or plates are composed, as clearly shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, so that the side piece or plate is firmly and rigidly secured to the side 1 of the knife. Obviously as many burs or studs may be emwherever desired; we have found no difficulty in forcing them into the side pieces or plates with the material which we have so far used, but if it should be found necessary, obviously the side pieces or platescould be prepared for the reception ofthe burs or studs by cutting or boring in any suitable manner.

It is usually desirable to have each side piece or plate 7 surrounded by a metal frame, which with mother of pearl or ivory side pieces can be of gold, with horn, bone or wood can be of sterling silver, and with celluloid or other inexpensive composition can be of German silver, gun metal or the like. We have therefore shown in Figs. 1-5 a frame 8 which surrounds the side piece or plate 7 and is also recessed or rabbeted at the inner side of its inner edge to receive the side 1 of the knife. The inner edge wall of the opening of this frame may be suitably beveled to underlie the undercut edge of the side piece or plate 7 as shown in Figs. 4: and 5, and thus the frame can be held in place entirely by the side piece and its fastening burs or studs 6. However, in

large knives, if desired, the edge of the side 1 can be notched at intervals as at 9, the walls of said notches being beveled inwardly, and the frame can be provided with lugs 10, see Figs. 6 and 7, adapted to enter said notches and be upset or riveted therein to secure the frame to the side 1.

In Fig. 8 we have shown a frame 11 which is stamped out of sheet metal and beveled at its inner edge wall to underlie the side piece or plate 12, which is adapted to be secured to the side 13 by the burs or studs already described. Even greater cheapness can be secured by stamping the edges of the side 14 into a frame 15 adapted to surround the side piece or plate 16, as shown in Fig. 9, and if the frame in this case is narrow enough and. the rivets of the knife body set far enough in from its edges, said rivets can be concealed by the side piece or plate 16, as in the other construction.

Obviously detail modifications and changes may be made in manufacturing handles according to our invention, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and we do not wish to be understood as limiting ourselves except as required by the following claims when construed in the light of the prior art.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim is.

1. In a handle, the combination of a sheet metal side having an integral hollow bur or stud projecting therefrom and split at its outer end, and aside piece or plate forced and secured upon said side having the split .end of the stud embedded therein by forcing the same into the material under pressure with its prongs clenched or turned outwardly, said burs or studs being shorter than the thickness of the side piece or plateand hidden thereby.

2. In a handle for knives and so forth,

'the combination of a side having a stud projecting therefrom with hollow split walls, a side piece or plate upon said side having the split end of the stud embedded therein with its prongs clenched, whereby said side piece or plate is secured to the side and the fastening means concealed by said side piece or plate, and a frame entirely around the side and having an underlying edge or wall portion receiving the edge of the side piece and. retained in position thereby.

3. In a handle, the combination of a side having a stud projecting therefrom, a side piece or plate upon said side having said stud embedded in itself, and a frame for said side piece or plate, said frame entirely surrounding said side piece or plate and underlying the same at its edges, said frame being held by said plate to said side.

4:. In a handle, the combination of a side having a series of spaced marginal. recesses with inwardly inclined walls, a frame for the edge of said side having lugs entering said recesses engaging the side thereof to hold the frame and side together, a side piece or plate in said frame, and securing means for the side piece or plate embedded beneath the same together with said lugs.

5. In a handle, the combination of a side having marginal recesses with inwardly inclined walls, a frame rabbeted at the inner side of its inner edge to receive said side and having inwardly extending lugs in said recesses engaging the'walls thereof to lock said side and frame together, and a side piece or plate in said frame and entirely inclosed thereby at its edge, said frame continuously surrounding the side piece and having said rabbet throughout its inneredge.

PAUL MERTENS. HENRY BAGKERT. 

